In case you hadn’t heard, indie rock has fallen hard for web video. If there’s a skinny-jeans-wearing band or three with a new album dominating your iPod, you’re almost certain to be able to watch them doing their thing online. It’s an obvious, hackneyed point, but the interent’s filled the void left by the old MTV.

But the web’s forte is taking tired TV formats (like the news show) and making them interesting again, and the MTV formula is still undergoing that transformation. Offering a full slate of live performances, music videos, and interviews on a site is great – perhaps perfect for the hardcore fan – but it isn’t congruent with the sampling and frenetic nature of most web videos and their audiences.

If I’m looking for my new favorite band or a general overview of the scene so that I can fit in at Union Pool, I’m not going to surf through an archive of lengthy material hoping to stumble across something good. Plus, I need some entertainment value to go with my passive discovery.

Leave it to those perennial outsiders, the Canadians! (I kid about the outsider thing, of course, as our neighbors to the north have certainly become indie rock insiders in the 21st century.)

A crucial part of this community has been the CBC’s indie-focused station Radio3, and the staff’s weekly show – appropriately titled CBC Radio 3 – brings their perspective and personality to video. It’s been offering a little bit of everything from the studios since it began nearly a year ago, oddly enough, with the destruction of the old station building.

The show doesn’t shy completely away from the standard performance/video/interview music fare, but the editing and style make it much more accessible. Anyone can show the new Wolf Parade video, but who else would precede it with several odd minutes of found footage, comedy, and interviews exploring the trend of bands named after animals?

Ditto for trend pieces on indie facial hair, fashion, and rock moments.

###One of my favorite recent episodes deviates even more from standard formulas by diving head first into the parallels between stand-up comedy and punk/indie rock (which, now that I think about it, makes complete sense). It’s even a more interesting due to its portrayal of comedians’ viewpoints, including takes from kings of pop comedy, irony and absurdism like Patton Oswalt, Eugene Mirman, and Tim and Eric (with the obligatory David Cross cameos, of course).

And if you’re still not convinced of the indie comedy/rock convergence, more recent developments should remove all doubt.

At least there’s no denying that these Canucks know what they’re doing.  They’ve made an engaging video series that stands out in a crowded space. While their access to musicians and resources certainly helps, it’s the creativity, passion, and playfulness of each episode that keeps me coming back. It certainly beats the self-seriousness and scenesterism that’s so easy to fall into on the indie circuit.

So happy anniversary, CBC Radio 3, and good luck with your Olympic mascot politicking!

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Colin McDonald
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After just two months, Hulu has become the 10th most popular video site on the internet, beating out all the major networks.  Hulu users averaged 129.3 minutes per month, smashing nearest rival ABC.com, which sees an average of 57.3 minutes per user per month.  



Now ABC, which has been among the most progressive of the networks, punches back with some shiny new player features including “full-screen viewing, closed captioning and the ability to send video links that can be embedded on blogs and social networks.”  Users will be able to “comb series offerings graphically, alphabetically, by genre or popularity.  [The new interface also includes] content recommendation technology that suggests programs based on a viewer’s choices.”

These are all positive development that give consumers all the features of Hulu plus some; Hulu and others will surely follow suit…and quickly.  But, players shlayers.  Content, not interface, is still king, and Hulu has far-and-away the most comprehensive library of traditional television shows.  It’s extensive offerings have already created a networks affect that will continue to drive the most traffic and the best content. 



ABC is smart to continually strive to make ABC.com the premier place to view ABC content.  It can do that with technology, community, bonus videos, or even vintage programming.  Whatever developments it continues to pursue for content on its own site, the network ought to consider playing with that growing elephant in the room.

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Jamison Tilsner
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Michael Showalter is best known as one-third of Stella, the Marx Brothers-inspired comedy troupe whose unfortunately short-lived 2005 Comedy Central show (hey, at least now we’ve got Mind of Mencia!…that was sarcastic) nonetheless gained a considerable cult following and had fans hungering for more absurdist humor from Showalter and Stella co-members Michael Ian Black and David Wain.

The redundantly titled short webisodes, which began in January 2007, star Showalter’s same-named alter ego, a vain, assholic prima donna whose supposedly serious show (all-black backdrop, espresso props for fellow comedian guests) is repeatedly undermined by “behind the scenes” footage revealing Showalter’s manipulative, childish behavior.

Read On…

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Michael Joshua Rowin
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Two weeks ago, while covering the choreographed spectacle that was a protest for the Sean Bell verdict (Abridged Backstory: On November 25, 2006, three plainclothes NYPD officers shot 50 rounds at three unarmed black men, killing one of them, Sean Bell, on his wedding day. The cops were acquitted on all charges, and lots of people became incensed.), Lindsey Campbell was arrested.

Reporting for Moblogic – CBS’ online, community-involved answer to mainstream news coverage – the host signed up to wear handcuffs, in part because she was sympathetic to the cause and, like any good journalist, she “wanted to be where the action was.”

But unlike traditional journalists, and atypical of any regular news organization, Lindsay and Moblogic are passionate about, and determined to involve the audience in the reporting process. In an episode prior to her arrest, Lindsay attended Al Sharpton organized rallies and asked random participants questions that were submitted solely by viewers.

Now, the crew’s in Georgia, because “if you want to talk about the death penalty, you need to be where it’s happening. (Abridged Backstory: In January, the US Supreme Court started an examination of whether lethal injection is unconstitutionally cruel and unusual punishment. On April 16, they upheld that it was an a-okay form of execution. Since the ruling, Georgia’s put to death William Early Lynd. Barring any pardon or stay, this Thursday the state will do the same to Samuel David Crowe.).

And in an ongoing effort to create “an interactive journalism experience,” Lindsay solicits viewers to take charge of their own news.  Let her know who she should speak with, where she should go, and what she should ask.  Tell her what you’re thinking by comments, e-mail, or even give her cell phone – seriously, find her at 917-273-7212 – a call.

###

From its inception, Moblogic has fostered what web producer Sean Tice told me is a “running conversation” that starts with “topics on the street, then moves to the site where viewers comment on the comments of people in the video. From there, comments evolve into their own conversations.” Spend a few minutes browsing through those conversations and you’ll see the site has one of the highest levels of thoughtful audience participation you’ll find anywhere online. The show is not an entertainment or informational end product; it’s a starting point.

Now it’s come full circle, from acting as a focus for audience interaction to being entirely driven by an audience granted with unprecedented access to those running the show.

Moblogic is a relief from mainstream news organizations where we, the viewers, are treated like silent news receptors. Producers decide what’s relevant to report to, not with, the public. Certainly that traditional type of coverage has a place. Educated and informed anchors and analysts will always play valuable roles in providing access to information. But it’s nice to have an alternative.

Who hasn’t wanted call Lou Dobbs and tell him to get the $&@# on a bus to Southern California where he can gain much needed perspective or suggest that John King to do something relevant with his touch screen? Now you have a voice. Give Lindsey a ring – that number, ONE MORE TIME! 917-273-7212 – and let her know what you wanna know.

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Joshua Cohen
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Since its debut on Chicago Public Radio in November 1995, the best thing to happen to This American Life has been Kausper Hauser’s spoofs. The sketchy comedy crew’s Ira Glass impression is near flawless and the casual journalistic inquiries into stories that reveal life’s peculiarities (Episode 1: Going Postal, Episode 2: Phantom High School) couldn’t be more spot-on.

The second best thing to happen to This American Life is its Showtime series. Though I prefer the radio show and letting all visual accompaniments coalesce in my imagination, at times it’s a treat to put a face to a voice, a landscape to a setting. Plus, the series comes up with storytelling techniques like this:

Created by Chris Ware and John Kuramoto, the cartoon doesn’t take sensational, Doogtoon liberties in bringing a mistaken Onassis memory to life.  Instead, morbidly disproportional figures and fantastic background changes make it fun while the tame action keeps it proper.  I like it, but if Showtime continues to create animated segments, I hope they’ll change it up.  I.e., something with an xkcd aesthetic would rock.

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Joshua Cohen
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There’s a scene in Der Untergang – a critically acclaimed German/Austrian film about the final 10 days of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany in 1945 – when the reviled leader of the Third Reich concedes all is lost. I don’t speak German, and I haven’t seen the actual movie, but Bruno Ganz’s portrayal appears riveting.

I wouldn’t have thunk it, but the scene’s prime material for parody. Scott Lamb pinpoints YouTube user DReaperF4 as the genius (or at least the guy who posted) a Spanish-language subtitled version where, instead of the Allied Forces, Hitler gets totally POed at his generals about a new flight simulator game. Teh internets Hitler meme was born.

Remixes followed. There’s been Hitler hating on paparazzi. The Downfall of the New England Patriots. Hitler gets banned from Xbox Live. The end of HD-DVD. And an especially poignant Hillary’s Downfall.

Like Jenna says, it’s a revelry of outrageously odd juxtapositions, and my favorite is when making fun of the Fuhrer comes full circle, and Hitler finds out he’s a meme:

Excellent use of internet famo references – Star Wars Kid, Chad Vader, Chris Crocker – and lingo. And great eyes on Mike at inside Online Video for finding this one.

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Joshua Cohen
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Comedy.com, which endeavors to curate the “funniest stuff on the web,” looks like your average round-up of viral videos, user-generated content, and forums, an amalgam of Funny or Die and the comedy channels on Break, Metacafe, and YouTube that’s been duplicated ad nauseum on the web.  But what sets the site apart from its predecessors – aside from an “LOL” rating system and an insult ticker that streams “Yo Mamma” jokes – are its actual comedian inhabitants and original programming.

Similar to straight up stand-up sites like EffinFunny, Comedy.com’s “Stand Up” section features real deal comedians and allows for those as yet unknown to upload their bits, which are sorted by category (i.e. “Topical,” “Gay & Lesbian,” “Real Life“). Viewers can rate, share and even “heckle” the performances (there a quite a few worthy of heckles). Comedy.com posts the top-ranked comedians with the most “LOLs” as a way to filter the talent.

Currently, the most popular user-gen bit is from comedian Sheng Wang’s snippet on car insurance.

Eh, maybe it’s funnier in person. If you’ve ever sat through a lousy comedian act, or the clip above, you’ll appreciate the swiftness with which you can click through the performances.

A better bet is to check out some of Comedy.com’s five original series.  Newest New News, “the only daily satirical newscast with a deaf music critic and Hitler book reviews,” is kinda like a less-funny ONN. Make a Hot Girl Laugh (reminiscent of the short-lived game show Make Me Laugh on Comedy Central), pits two comedians against one another in a battle for a bimbo who would otherwise be outta their leagues. Then there’s Glitch in the System, a weekly series and a satire about video gamers.  Do Unto Others is a series in of montages in much need of edit with absurd suggestions for #$%&ing with people.

Incognegro is the only series worth a click.

Read On…

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Sarah Ricard
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Ben Relles, creator of Obama Girl and Barely Political, spoke on a panel today about viral video at Streaming Media East.  When we met, Relles noted my tendency to trash BarelyPolitical, a website which, I maintain, was once a waste of my time.  I did not mean to disparage Mr. Relles, however, who is indeed a marketing genius with an intuitive instinct for creating videos with zeitgeist potential, and someone with a very creative style.



Remember the MeowMix theme song created by Shelley Palmer? It’s probably the last thing I’d ever put in my Ipod.  (S#^%, now it is stuck in my head.)  Even though I find the song annoying and generally worthless (I never liked cats), I admire it.   I visit Palmer’s blog, MediaBytes, almost daily; I even listen to the podcast. 



And Barely Political, which launched with a killer name and URL and a brilliant marketing campaign, but not a shred of enduring entertainment value,  has indeed found its bearings.  It was haphazard and confused early on, but the brand has become a tangible entertainment property with legs.  This is due largely, as Mr. Relles readily acknowledges, to his partnership with people who truly understand the process of building entertainment brands, NextNewNetworks.  Smart partnership.

A new Barely Political video, Bill O’Reilly’s Producer (Unseen Footage), screened by Relles during the panel, exemplifies what Barely Political does best and should be: a satirical response to our collective conversation with a wink to its absurdity… not a series of videos devoted to a vacuous chick lip-syncing catchy songs.  The latter is marketing, I think.

Good stuff.

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Jamison Tilsner
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The Angry Video Game Nerd’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles review was removed from YouTube on May 20, 2008 at 8:27AM EST due to a “terms of service violation” after being on the site for 690 days and receiving 2.7 million views. Asahi Corp. called for this “crazy ass Japanese game show” clip to be taken down 8 hours earlier after 633 days and 1.7 million views.

In a litigious online world, where precedents are obscure if not completely unestablished, “fair use” is an obtuse phrase, and issuing DMCA takedown notices consumes the lives of first year associates at entertainment law firms, it’s good to have a record of the type of info above, the who, when, and why of videos removed from one of the largest video-sharing sites on the web.

And that’s what YouTomb provides. A product designed by MIT Free Cultue that “continually monitors the most popular videos on YouTube for copyright-related takedowns. Any information available in the metadata is retained, including who issued the complaint and how long the video was up before takedown. The goal of the project is to identify how YouTube recognizes potential copyright violations as well as to aggregate mistakes made by the algorithm.”

Said algorithm was deployed in 2007 at the behest of ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, etc. to automagically remove copyright-protected video, but it’s far from perfect. This industry needs a watchdog. Congrats to MIT for getting the ball rolling.

Good find by Techcrunch.

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Joshua Cohen
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Marina from Hot for Words not satisfying your camgirl fetish? No worries, now you have a five-and-a-half-decade-old American gentleman’s institution to supply you with amateur eye candy.

In celebration of 55 years in circulation, Playboy is soliciting all hopeful American and Canadian centerfolds to submit videos describing why they would make the perfect 55th-anniversary playmate.  Girls Next Door star, 2005 PMOY, and Hugh Hefner consort, Holly Madison is leading the online search, and will fly any girl that catches her fancy out to the famed mansion for an official screen test.

Since the above was uploaded April 28, Playboy Casting’s seen 57 submissions.  David Sarno from the LA Times describes them perfectly, “like YouTube videos in general – most of them are amateurish and borderline unwatchable…Some viewers may experience a spike in interest when the candidates invite them into the shower, but most of this footage wouldn’t make many final cuts, even for a reality show.”

###For examples, check out Jamsine look-a-like Michelle Lummus. Chernise Yvette, who loves apple martinis and “swanky lounges.” Professional videographer Lindsey. Or, my favorite because of the awesomely terrible Doublemint take, not-really-identical twins Erin and Sara Z.

Sarno also thinks Playboy should get props for its new media experimentation because “hardly any major media companies are inviting regular folk to contribute user-generated videos to a page that also shows their corporate logo.”

Sure, I’ll give the magazine some credit, but they’re certainly not the only major media company calling for contest submissions. Also, when your brand is based on somewhat tasteful T&A, it’s a lot easier to experiment.

(via)

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Joshua Cohen
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If you’re planning to attend Streaming Media East tomorrow in NYC, be sure to  check out my panel  at 11:45 AM: Monetizing and Aggregating Niche Video Content.  Then come say hi.

“This panel will discuss the new ways content owners and site developers are aggregating content and distributing it on Web 2.0. See examples of ways to develop niche vertical sites without having to hire tons of new personnel and discuss how to reach audiences on social networking sites like Facebook and others. Learn about some of the new emerging platforms for niche video distribution and learn best practices for increasing your chances of making money with your content. ”

Moderator: Jamison Tilsner, Founder/Blogger, Tilzy.TV

Presenters:

Jim Louderback, CEO, Revision3

Alex Blum, CEO, KickApps

Herb Scannell, CEO, Co-Founder, Next New Networks

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Jamison Tilsner
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When I was in film school, I learned that film and television were two very different media.  You were either a film person or a TV person.  TV professionals, accustomed to the lesser medium, often faced difficulty translating their talents for film, and a film director demoted to a television project could be all but written off entirely. 



Then came internet-entertainment, and it was hailed as yet another breeding ground for Hollywood, much as TV had been for up-and-coming film directors. But I think the long-standing myth of artists-tied-to-media, or film as the holy grail of entertainment, has finally been been debunked…though at first glance it may not seem that way…



Larry Strong and Kevin Arbouet, directors of the original Obama Girl shorts, have landed a feature film gig.  Kent Nichols and Douglas Sarine, creators of Ask A Ninja have a deal to remake Attack of the Killer Tomatoes.  ZeFrank and Amanda Congdon both left new media (and New York) to pursue bigger dreams in old media.  Sure, they’ve left us, but they’ll come back.  Congdon already has. 



New media is not just breeding ground for bigger and better opportunities, it’s a component of the new all-encompassing entertainment product.  Hopefully these artists were tapped for their abilities to captivate on multiple screens, big and small, silicon and fabric; to engage the metaverse with immersive entertainment. Different media crafted in different ways to entertain at different times, and in different environments. 

Filed under: Tilzy.TV by Jamison Tilsner
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